Hotokusan Inari Taisha Shrine
This commanding shrine is visible from a distance as visitors approach its hillside location outside the city center of Nagaoka. The black gabled roofs and vermillion-and-white features tower above the forest.
Hotokusan Inari Taisha is built primarily from concrete as opposed to wood, which is more common in shrines of this type. The concrete protects the shrine against earthquakes and also the harsh winter conditions in this part of Japan.
The shrine has two complexes. The lower complex is the larger of the two and is situated about halfway up the hillside. A second, slightly smaller complex sits at the top of the hill, but it is only used twice a year for local festivals. The shrine holds a night festival called Yomatsuri each year, using between fifty and sixty thousand red candles for its main ritual.
Next to the hilltop complex there is a small stone shrine. This is the oldest remaining part of Hotokusan Inari Taisha. The exact age of this stone shrine is unknown, as it predates the earliest site records from around 1,500 years ago. Some have speculated that it could date from the late Jomon period, which ended in 900 BCE, but this is not yet corroborated.
Downhill, at the entrance to the main shrine building, visitors from late June to early July will notice a large, ring-shaped gateway fashioned out of tightly bound rope. To enter the shrine building properly, a person should move in through the ring, then out and back in again in a “figure 8” motion. An illustrated guide next to the entrance shows how to do this. Remember to take off your shoes when entering the building.
Once inside, visitors are encouraged to follow the shrine’s special prayer ritual to bring blessings and good fortune upon themselves and their loved ones. The ritual involves lighting two sets of colored candles and placing them on two different altars in the correct order.
From left to right, the color order is green, red, yellow, white, purple. Each candle is said to affect a different part of one’s daily life.
Green is associated with health and well-being, as well as success in academic studies.
Red brings financial success, both in terms of running a business and having luck with money in general.
Yellow offers protection against natural disasters, such as earthquakes, storms, and floods.
White guards the home, ensuring it stays healthy and happy.
Finally, but perhaps most importantly in this context, purple safeguards spiritual health.
Begin by approaching the first altar. Light your green candle and place it on the left-hand side. You can follow the example of others to place it in the correct spot.
Next, take your red candle and light it using the flame from your green candle. Place it to the immediate right of that candle.
Repeat this process for your yellow, white, and purple candles, until all are lit and sit upon the altar in a row from left to right.
Next, make a bow, clap your hands twice, and hold them together after the second clap. Offer a silent prayer. Take one step back, bow deeply, and move on to the second altar to repeat the process.
This ritual is unique to Hotokusan Inari Taisha and is therefore an essential part of the experience when visiting. Those who do not wish to perform the ritual may observe the various distinctive features of the shrine.
Inside the main building is a gold-adorned shrine and altar to the “God of Commerce.” Visiting shrines like this one is a tradition for those about to set up a new business or embark on a large-scale financial commitment, such as buying a house, getting married, or starting a family. Here, people seek good fortune and blessings from the gods to ensure prosperity in their ventures.
Priests conduct services at designated times throughout the day. These are open to observation.
Hotokusan Inari Taisha is located 25 minutes from Nagaoka Station by car. If traveling by train, take the Shinetsu Line from Nagaoka Station for 16 minutes and get off at Echigo-Iwatsuka Station. The shrine is a 10-minute walk from there.
Entry to the shrine is free. However, you are welcome to make a donation to the upkeep and maintenance of the shrine by purchasing one of the many good-luck charms on sale.